Free Web NovelChapter 466: Chapter 282: I Want All Martial Artists in the World: To See This Blade Is to See the Ancestral Hall
With this in mind, Cao Zongxi sent a telepathic message toward the Song Dynasty.
The Song Clan’s Third Prince, Song Dun, wore a strange expression after receiving the message:
"What?"
"He wants my Song Dynasty to be the first to attack?"
He cursed wildly in his heart.
’This is completely insane.’
’Among the Six Kingdoms blessed with Celestial Destiny and Fortune, every single one is more powerful than my Song Dynasty. Even the Golden Crow’s cultivator forces are stronger than the Song Clan’s.’
Although the Song Dynasty had "Dynasty" in its name, its true strength was far from meeting the requirements of one.
’And now he actually wants my Song Clan to strike first... it’s just...’
Third Prince Song Dun was at a loss for words.
He had no time to complain.
The Crown Prince of Great Sui had told him to take the lead, and he had no choice but to comply.
The Song Dynasty’s current diplomatic relationship with the Great Sui Dynasty was a Tier Three: a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
There were ten tiers of diplomatic relations in total, and Tier Three was already very high.
Tier Ten was the absolute lowest level of established relations, basically amounting to just being acquaintances.
They were essentially expected to advance and retreat together.
Third Prince Song Dun’s expression turned grim as his gaze fell upon the four great armies the Song Dynasty had assembled.
Each army was an elite force from the Song Clan’s Imperial Guard, composed of fifty thousand Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm Martial Artists, five thousand Rebirth Realm Captains, five hundred Commanders who had stepped into the Grandmaster Realm, twenty Grandmasters serving as Commanders of the Imperial Guard, four Middle Fifth Grade Dragon Gate Martial Artists acting as the Four Symbols Generals, and one Vajra Realm Martial Artist, accompanied by several powerful Tributors, serving as the marshal.
Within the army, every soldier wore grayish-white Treasure Armor. Each held a warbow developed from the blueprints of a Great Scholar from the kingdom’s Mo Family, with a Talisman Arrow in their other hand.
One hundred thousand bowstrings were drawn. The brilliant light of King Chu burst from their bodies, resembling a sea of stars.
The power of a single greatbow might not have been much, but enhanced by a specific military formation, all their strength combined. Terrifying ripples spread through the void. It was as if an invisible greatbow had appeared in mid-air, endlessly absorbing the power between heaven and earth.
The deterrent force unleashed by a single one of these armies could scare off a Twelfth Realm Great Cultivator.
Lu Mingyuan sensed that he was being locked onto by the bows from the direction of the Song Dynasty. The space around him seemed to solidify as an immense pressure bore down on him from all directions.
"No one is willing to make a move? Then let my Song Dynasty begin."
With that, Third Prince Song Dun waved his hand.
One hundred thousand shimmering Talisman Arrows were instantly fired.
Looking toward the sky, the sound of arrows tearing through the air was endless. A sky-spanning rain of arrows enveloped a hundred-li area around Lu Mingyuan.
Facing the sky-filling rain of arrows, Lu Mingyuan was not the least bit flustered. With one hand behind his back, he slowly raised the other. The three-petaled Divine Fire Pattern on his brow emerged, and scalding Fiery Flame Primordial Qi gathered and flowed in his palm.
SWOOSH!
A huge hole appeared in the void. A blood-red, armor-covered hand, tens of meters long, emerged from the opening. With its sharp claws, it swept up at the rain of arrows!
Like a gathering storm, the great hand swept up every single Talisman Arrow.
He smiled faintly. "Is that all? Are you trying to tickle me?"
"Here, have them back."
Lu Mingyuan waved his hand again. The great hand hurled the Talisman Arrows back, and the resulting rain of arrows sent the men and horses of the Song Dynasty’s army flying. The casualties were innumerable.
Seeing this, Third Prince Song Dun’s face went pale. His heart was practically bleeding.
’These are the elites of my Great Song!’
’No wonder! This Lu Mingyuan has mastered the techniques of a Martial Dao Body. How could he be an ordinary Twelfth Realm cultivator?! Cao Zongxi, you’ve led me to ruin!’ Song Dun wailed inwardly.
Everyone had witnessed the technique Lu Mingyuan had just displayed.
That blood-red hand was clearly a Martial Dao Body.
Only at the Twelfth Realm could a Martial Artist display the power of a Dharma Body, and even then, they could only transform a part of their Flesh Body, not the whole thing.
Since Lu Mingyuan could use it so casually, it meant he had reached the Twelfth Realm long ago and was among the most powerful of them.
In that case, until they could clearly gauge Lu Mingyuan’s true strength, none of the other kingdoms dared to make a rash move.
Cao Zongxi was extremely clever. He naturally understood Lu Mingyuan’s intention. By making such a display, he wanted to crush the kingdoms’ idea of a joint attack. By making them hesitant to act, he could then pick them off one by one.
Lu Mingyuan’s voice boomed, "Since you won’t make a move, then I’ll be the one to bring you trouble!"
Before his words had even faded, Lu Mingyuan was already holding a long saber formed from condensed Primordial Qi, slashing it toward the Song Dynasty.
"The Song Dynasty, is it? I of Great Yan believe I have treated you well. You pack of ungrateful wolves!"
"If the Celestial Mandate will not be granted, then I shall seize your Celestial Mandate first!"
"Abbot, save me!"
When Third Prince Song Dun saw this ruthless man, Lu Mingyuan, charging toward the Song Dynasty’s position, he was struck with such utter terror that he felt his very soul might split apart.
He immediately executed his Divine Techniques and Wondrous Methods, sidestepping in an attempt to dodge.
But he was still locked on by Lu Mingyuan.
"Such impudence."
The Celestial Dragon Elder Abbot slammed down his Zen Staff. His white beard fluttered under his chin, and he radiated an imposing aura without any sign of anger. A faint golden light glowed on his face as he appeared in front of Song Dun.
CLANG!
Lu Mingyuan’s saber strike landed on the Celestial Dragon Elder Abbot’s indestructible skin, sending out faint sparks.
He wasn’t particularly surprised.
The Celestial Dragon Elder Abbot’s power was profound. He had been a Twelfth Realm Nirvana Arhat for three hundred years.
At the Twelfth Realm of Nirvana, a Buddhist Arhat’s Flesh Body is reforged, like a phoenix achieving nirvana, reaching a state of Perfection. Its durability is comparable to a top-tier Innate Treasure. Some Arhats even have a Flesh Body as durable as a half-Immortal Artifact.
It would take a Sword Immortal’s personal intervention, using their Sword Intent, to completely shatter their Merit Golden Body.
After his strike, Lu Mingyuan glanced back and saw a massive Buddhist silhouette rising from the canyon behind him, connecting to the sky.
It was a Buddhist visage as tall as a mountain.
